The Meaning of Life
by bePeterPan
Summary: **Sequel to "Is It Worth Turning Back"**   Mollie Langston is entering the adult world with adult responsibilities. Can her old relationship with Draco Malfoy last?


**Mollie**

"It's a boy!" gushed the red-faced Healer with beads of sweat dripping down her face. The other Healer wrapped my bloody, bawling baby in a large, blue towel.  
><em><br>My baby.  
><em>  
>Those words were foreign. How could I have my very own child?<p>

I watched as the two Healers took turns siphoning the blood off its skin. My hands felt their way down to my stomach. It was flabby enough, but was much flatter, yet I felt the oddest sensation of being empty; of longing. It was just like my longing for that little baby's father.

I wanted my baby. I wanted my baby _now_. It was the closest thing to _him_.

My arms involuntarily reached out, and despite how weary I was feeling I yelled, "Give me my goddamn baby!" I was raving. I didn't understand where my sudden outburst had come from.

Both the Healers stopped dead. The one using her wand muttered, "Oh so she's one of _those_ mothers."

The other one sighed, but, thankfully carried my son to me. When she reached the side of my bed she bent over and laid the tiny bundle in my anxious, outstretched arms.

I've never believed in love at first sight, I've always thought it was load of crap, but when I first looked upon the face of my son, my heart overflowed with joy. I was blown away with the insant love. I knew no matter what, that this beautiful boy was mine, and I just loved him unconditionally from then on.

"What are you going to name him?"

I jerked, then held my baby closer, afraid I had hurt him. The Healer scared me, I'd forgotten for a moment that there were two other women in the room. She had also caught me off guard. A name? I hadn't once thought of a name. Many people had given me ideas, with the hope I'd stop moping and start getting excited about something for once.

Connor wanted me to name it Tyler if it were to be a boy. Lavender and Parvati really liked the name Dom. Mum told me if I had been born a boy she would've named me Augustus. She said it would make her so happy if I named him Augustus.

The only one I semi-liked was Dom. But I didn't want to name him just because my friends like the name. Oh, how I wished _he_ were there at that time. How I needed _him_.

I began to think of him at that moment. Why had he never tried to contact? I knew he was still alive, I heard Pansy Parkinson talking about him right before I left Hogwarts. He never returned to school for the last year. He got lucky. Ever since Professor Snape became the Headmaster, nothing had been the same.

Then I wondered what he would think about being a father. Had Pansy told him? She was the only one close to him who knew we had been together. I hope she didn't suspect I was sleeping with someone else...

If Pansy had told him though, there was no way he could stay away or not contact, right? He said he loved me. I heard it.

"Well?" the Healer asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I don't know," I said. "What name do you like?"

It was now her time to be caught off guard. I bet she'd never been asked that question before.

"Naame?"

"Sure," I smiled, then looked down at the unnamed boy. What would his father name him if he were here?

"I've always been partial to Jon," she answered.

"That's a very nice name," I said sincerely. It really was to be honest. I mulled it over in my head.

Just then the door to my room opened with a loud BANG. In rushed a Healer.

"I have a letter here for Mollie Langston. It came in the Muggle post today," she said as she passed the envelope to the slightly nicer Healer (the one who liked the name Jon). She passed me the letter and eagerly watched me open it.

My heart started beating twenty times faster than normal. I knew that handwriting!

DEAR MOLLIE,  
>WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS IS THE <em>ONLY<em> CHANCE I'VE HAD TO CONTACT YOU IN THE PAST YEAR. I WISH I COULD APOLOGISE IN PERSON, YET IT FEELS LIKE ASKABAN IN THIS HOUSE, LITERALLY. I AM UNDER HOUSE ARREST. NOT SURE WHY. ANYWAY, I OBVIOUSLY GOT OUT TODAY AND VISITED LONDON AND MAILED THIS THE MUGGLE WAY. APPARENTLY IT TAKES A COUPLE DAYS TO GET THERE, SLOW HUH?  
>NOW, DOWN TO BUSINESS...YOU'RE PREGNANT! THE PARKINSON'S VISITED FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAYS AND PANSY TOLD ME YOU LEFT TO GO HAVE THE BABY. OH, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I WISH I COULD RUN TO YOU AND HOLD YOU. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY IT WILL ALL BE OKAY ONCE THIS IS ALL OVER. I'M NOT SURE WHEN, BUT...<br>PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, BUT THE BABY IS MINE RIGHT? OR HAD YOU MOVED ON AND IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S AND I AM COMPLETELY WASTING MY TIME?  
>IF IT'S MINE AND IT'S A GIRL I LIKE THE NAME VIOLET. IF IT'S A BOY I LIKE THE NAME OLIVER. YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE TO USE THOSE. YOU PROBABLY HATE ME BY NOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN IN ALMOST A YEAR. I'M SO SORRY I HAD TO LEAVE YOU THAT NIGHT.<br>A BABY! JESUS CHRIST! I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A _BABY_! OH MOLLIE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?  
>-DRACO.<p>

I suddenly felt like vomiting.

"Hogwarts is being attacked! Its defenses are being breached!"

I opened my eyes a bit. What was all this talk about Hogwarts being attacked? I sat up and pushed the Call button on the side of my bed.

My Healer came in and asked what I needed. She seemed calm enough...

"What's all this talk about Hogwarts? I hear people all throughout the corridor! They're worrying me!"

"Oh, that...Apparently He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has brought his followers and they're fighting at Hogwarts," she answered, wringing her hands nervously.

I thought of my friends. Was this just like last year? Would they all be fighting? Was _he_ fighting? And which side was he on?

"Could-could I possibly have my baby? I'm worried..." I said.

I could tell the Healer wanted to protest but she must've seen the sincerity in my face so she said she'd grab him for me. "He's Malfoy, correct?"

My heart lurched once I heard that name. "Yes," I answered.

I hadn't yet named him so he had to go by his last name: Malfoy.

A few minutes later the Healer reentered the room carrying the tiny bundle of light blue sheets.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"3.45 in the morning," she yawned and exited.

I looked at the sleeping baby. I stroked his dark baby hair. The Healer says most babies are born with the dark hair, then they'll lose it and grow the colour they're supposed to have. I looked about a year into the future and imagined what colour hair he'd have. Would it be blond like his father's? Or brown like mine? Who would he look like? Surely his face wouldn't look this squashed forever, right?

I had never slept with my son in the bed with me because I was afraid to hurt him. I had heard too many horror stories about how mothers would accidentally roll on top of baby during the night and baby would asphyxiate. Or stories in which the baby fell off the bed.

So I turned on the radio and kept the volume down. I listened to the newscasters reporting what was going on at Hogwarts. It wasn't much help though because ever since the Ministry takeover, practically everyone in power was evil or had been imperiused. The man reporting the news was clearly biased for You-Know-Who's side. He wouldn't mention the names of those on the side of Potter's who had died. Only those Death Eaters who'd died. It was useless because I couldn't tell what was happening to my classmates.

I, at least, knew the two of us were safe. Hogwarts was in Scotland and St. Mungo's was in London. Also, throughout history, hospitals and churches had always been places of sanctuary. There was an unwritten law that neither side would harm either of these buildings.

I stayed awake the rest of the night and waited for the end. Once, even Harry Potter seemed dead. I was convinced it was over. The reporter was so happy, it made me sick. But then, he had made a miraculous recovery and came back to life!

It made me wish I was there. Why wasn't I fighting? If it hadn't been for this baby I'd be helping the cause. I immediately regretted those thoughts. I didn't mean it like that. I loved my baby, very much.

That's when I decided to name him Dominic Oliver. He's named after nobody but himself.

**Three months later**

"Happy July!" screeched Parvati, coming through the front door.

"Who's here?" came a voice from the kitchen.

"Just my friend Nana, I want you to meet her!" I called back.

I grabbed Parvati by the wrist and pulled her into the kitchen before she could even take off her shoes.

"Nana, meet Parvati Patil," I said.

Nana wiped her hands on her apron and shook Parvati's hand.

"What are you doing?" Parvati asked her, looking around the kitchen counters.

"Oh, I'm just cooking up some Berliner Kranser," Nana answered her, continuing to pound the cookie dough.

"What's that?"

"German holiday cookies," I answered, smiling.

Parvati watched for a few minutes as my nana busied herself with pounding the dough. "Why don't you use your wand?" Parvati asked helpfully.

"Oh, dear," Nana laughed. "It isn't the same when you use magic."

"Oh...right."

"Mollie, didn't you say you were having some other people come tonight?"

"Oh yes, there's Lavender, Connor, Dean, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Seamus, and then Neville was supposed to come, but he's too busy." I listed off the Gryffindors from my year. Or, in reality, the only Gryffindors from my year who I actually enjoyed having around.

I hadn't seen any of them (besides Connor, Lavender, and Parvati) since the day I left Hogwarts. I owled the rest of them and asked if they weren't too busy, if they wouldn't mind coming for a dinner party and to meet Dominic.

"Well, dear, what are you going to say when they ask who the father is?" asked Nana, referring to Dominic.

"I'll just say what I've always said. I'll tell them it's a secret."

"Alright," Nana agreed half-heartedly. "Now, since you two girls are here would you mind helping me with the salad? And then, once that's done and I put the pastries in the oven all the food will be ready!"

Just then there was a loud knock on the door. "That's probably another guest," I said.

"I'll stay here and work on the salad Mollie," Parvati offered.

"Of course you will dear," Nana said and patted her on her back. "Now, let me show you where the tomatoes and spinach are..."

Before I got to the door I heard loud wailing from upstairs. I sighed and called through the door, "BE RIGHT THERE!" and then ran upstairs to grab the crying baby. I checked his pants, he was clean there, so I assumed he was just hungry. It was about time for his dinner anyway.

I carried him downstairs with me and opened the door. There was Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing on the door steps.

"Hi guys!" I greeted cheerfully.

Ron looked skeptical. "Mollie, is that you? I haven't seen you this happy for years..."

"Ronald!" Hermione slapped him on the arm lightly. She turned to me and smiled. "Mollie! It's been so long..." Then she saw the baby, her smile faltered a bit but then she looked back at me and the smile returned.

"So, what's his name?" Harry asked.

"Dominic," I answered. "Now, come on in, I'm so happy you three could make it. I know you've had extremely hectic schedules ever since April."

"You could say that again," Ron said and stepped into the house. He sniffed the air, "Mmm, that smells wonderful, almost better than Mum's cooking. Did you make it all? Is this your house? It's very nice if it is..." Ron kept going on all the way through the kitchen. I rolled my eyes, but none of them saw because they were already gone. I was left alone in the front corridor with the door open wide.

I stood there with Dom for a few moments feeling the cool, summer evening breeze.

There was a loud CRACK and three other figures came walking up the lane to the house. When they came into view, I saw Connor, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan.  
>They came straight through the door and wrapped their arms around me and Dom, although careful not to hurt the baby.<p>

"You guys are all the same," I said and giggled.

"We're only 18, Mollie, what do you expect? You haven't changed either...well, besides having your own little guy," Dean said smiling.

"Well, _I'm_ only 17," I answered. I turned to Connor, "Is Lavender still coming?"

"Yeah, she's still coming, she'll be here soon I suspect." He bent down and was eye level with Dominic, "Now, can I hold little Dom?" he said in a high-pitched voice. I reluctantly handed _Dom_ over and then returned to the kitchen.

"Mollie! Introduce me to all your friends!" Nana called.

I looked around the small kitchen. Hermione was fussing over the salad while Parvati was standing next to her watching. Harry and Ron were greeting the three new arrivals and trying to talk to Dominic. Then, there was my nana, shaping the pastry dough into little wreaths.

"Well, here's Connor Tuck, you know him, then Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter-"

Before I could continue Nana made a small yelp. "Harry Potter! Mollie! You told me a _Harry_ was coming, but you didn't say it was Harry Potter!"

"Well, who else would it be?" I asked, a bit peeved.

"Can I give you a hug, dear?" Nana asked Harry, ignoring my attitude.

"Sure ma'am." Harry answered. I'm sure he was quite used to this reaction by now.

She shuffled over him and gave him a hug and patted him on his back. She pulled away and grabbed his upper arms. "I want to thank you so much for all you've done. It has meant so much to us all."

She then turned to Ron, "And you, Ron Weasley. I know about you also. Now, Hermione Granger, I presume?" she asked Hermione. Hermione nodded, and then Nana hugged the two of them together. "Thank you both as well."

Then she hugged Connor, Seamus, Dean, and Parvati too, because they had fought in the battle as well.

Lavender then walked into the room. "Lavender! You made it!" I walked to her and hugged her.

"Yeah, the front door was wide open...did you know that?"

"Oh, don't worry dear," said Nana sweetly and hugged her too. "Thank you."

"You're welcome?" Lavender said slowly.

I mouthed, "Forget it," and then pulled her into the kitchen with the rest of us.

That dinner party was the best I had ever been at. It was a wonderful English evening and we were all surrounded by those we hadn't hung out with since we were 16, back when we were young and there hadn't been worries of Voldemort. It seemed like such a long time ago. But, now that he was dead, there was no worry of him. And the nine of us Gryffindors could go back to being friends.


End file.
